Running-gear



(No Model.)

U. E. MILLER. RUNNING GEAR.

No. 406,226. Patented July 2, 1889 \INVENTOR:

ATTORNEYS).

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

URIAH E. MILLER, OF HEILIGS MILLS, NORTH CAROLINA.

RUNNING-GEAR.

SPECIFICATION forming part bf Letters Patent No. 406,226, dated July 2, 1889.

Serial No. 287,891. (No model.)

T0 aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, URIAH E. MILLER, of Heiligs Mills, in the county of Rowan and State of North Carolina, have invented anew and Improved Running-Gear, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The invention relates to that class of wagons in which the reaches are made longitudinally adjustable and so constructed as to effect the turning of the wagon within asmall compass.

The object of the invention is to furnish a wagon of this characterin which the hinge or pivot of the reach may always be central of the front and rear axles, and in which the pivoted reach may be removed and the rigid one alone used.

The invention consists in the novel construction and combination of parts, as hereinafter particularly described, and pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a plan view of a running-gear embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal central section on linema", Fig. 3; and Fig. 3 is an end elevation.

On the axles A A are mounted the usual sand-boards B B and body-bolsters O 0'. Connecting the front and rear running-gear are the main rigid reach D and auxiliary reach E, the latter being centrally pi voted or hinged, as at E, to flex or bend laterally when the wagon is cramped, as in Fig. 1.

The main rigid reach D is held at its front end by the front king-bolt F and at its rear by the rear king-bolt F, the reach passing between the sand-boards and the axles. The rear endv of reach D is formed with a series of apertures d, through any one of which the rear king-bolt F passes. By this construction the reach D is adjustable to a shortened or lengthened position of the wagon.

On the reach D are held collars cl, formed with hooks (1 or equivalent devices, for engaging the brace-chains (1 which extend from each hook (I to the bolsters O O. The rear collard is adjustable longitudinally on the cordance with the adjusted position of the reach.

The hinged auxiliary reach E is held at its front end in a keeper G 011 the under side of axle A, and is formed at its front end with a series of apertures e similar to the apertures (Z in the rear end of reach D,through anyone of which apertures e the frontking-boltF may be passed, while the rear end of the reach E is loosely supported in a keeper G to have a free longitudinal movement in said keeper between two friction rollers H. The rear king-bolt F does not pass through the rear end of reach E.

The rear member of auxiliary reach E is provided an additional guide and support in its movements by the plates L, which are provided with friction-rollers 'i' and are secured to the spaced ends of the rear hounds I I, between which plates and rollers the reach lies. The front member of the reach E has an additional support in a keeper j, secured to theunder side of the frame J, which is carried by the front gear, and will be presently fully described.

Braces I I are secured at one end to the hounds I and at their other ends to the rear axle or sand-board.

The frame J is secured to the front gear be tween the axle and sand-board thereof and projects rearwardly therefrom, and acts as a substitute for front hounds for main reach D. The side members j of the frame are connected at the rear ends with the spaced crossbars 7' and at the front are united by a bracerod 7' The spaced cross-bars 7' of frame I form a support for main reach D, the latter lying between the same, as best shown in Fig. 2.

By making the reaches adjustable, respectively, at the front and rear ends the hinge or pivot of the auxiliary reach may be maintained centrally of the front and rear axles, whereby the rearwh eels will always track the front ones in turnin g, and thus the wagon may be turned within a shorter compass than if the pivot were not in a central position, as in the latter case the rear wheels would not track the front ones.

reach that its position may be changed in ac- The auxiliary reach E may be removed, if

desired, and the rigid one D substituted; or a longer rigid one may be substituted.

Having thus described my invention, Wh at I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination, in a running-gear, of the main rigid reach D, having its one end adjustable, the auxiliary reach E, hinged centrally to flex in a lateral direction and adj ustable at the end opposite the adjustable end of the reach D, collars d, formed with hooks d and secured to reach D, one of the collars being adjustable thereon, and the chains (1 extending from the hooks (Z to the body-bolsters, substantially as described.

2. The combination, in a running-gear, and with the axles and bolsters thereof, of the main reach 1), pivotally secured at each end and iongitudinally adjustable at one end, the frame J, secured to the front gear and between the spaced cross-barsj of which the reach'l) lies, the auxiliary reach E, hinged at its center to flex laterally and made adjustable at one end, the hounds I, spaced at their ends, the plates 1', uniting said spaced ends, and the friction rollers i, substantially as described.

The combination, in a running-gear, of a main rigid reach l),adjustablelongitudinally at its rear end, the auxiliary reach E, hinged at its center to flex laterally and adjustable longitudinally at its front end and having a free eildwise movement at its opposite end, the keepers G G, secured to the underside of the axles, and the friction-rollers H, between which the'free end of reach E is guided, substantially as described.

U'RIAII E. MILLER.

\Vitnesses:

JOHN L. BEAVER, ELIZABETH 0. KLUTTY. 

